JamesC

So you guys think that a regular leather belt is better than the patent leather belts?

I need a new belt, and was looking at ump-attire and cannot decide whether I want to get the 1 1/2 inch or the 1 3/4 inch belt. Which is better, and does it really matter? Also, Jim, I was curious if you guys at ump-attire were going to have the Major League Polo umpire shirt this year in addition to the black polo. Thanks for everything you guys have done!

That's a good question, and I could definitely see where that could be causing a problem! I would probably go with Sniper's suggestion. If it cannot be corrected (which there is no reason the kid should have bought a hat that didn't fit him in the first place), then it should be removed! Just my 2 cents though...

I have never had a problem with the bunching of my ball bag. That is the only reason I still own this particular bag. I have had this bag for about 4 years, and would not trade it for anything. When I started calling high school ball, I wanted to look more "professional" so I went out and bought 2 of the cheap bags (like $5.99 each) and wore them one game, and GAVE them away. Now, I just use the $18.99 bag I purchased from ump-attire and would not trade it for anything. Just my opinion.

I found this post on "New Gear and Equipment" interesting and have nominated it accordingly for "Post Of The Month November, 2009"

Very nice! Classic! lmao

Do you guys know when ump-attire.com and Honig's and the likes start stocking the new equipment?

I bought one of these about 5-6 years ago when I first started out calling Dixie ball, and have used it ever since. I didn't want to wear a watch, and the clock on the indicator was ingenious! Unfortunately, my clock doesn't work anymore, but I still will NOT use another indicator. I noticed kyle mentioned the +pos ball bag, but how could you not go with the Ultimate Ball Bag from ump-attire.com? I got one with the elastic top (which you can hardly notice from the stands) and absolutely love it, and I want to get one of the newer ones without the elastic. I will definitely take some of these suggestions into consideration. I do not usually order from Honig's (due to, in my opinion, overpricing) and generally order about 98% of my stuff from ump-attire.com. However, I am leaning towards their Premium Pleated Pants (both plate and base). I currently own a pair of Cliff Keen combo pants, which I will never buy another pair of combo pants as long as I live. When it comes to shirts, I am wanting to try the Ultimate Umpire Shirts from ump-attire.com but I do not want the 2 colors they are offering, and I am REALLY hoping they can expand to at least black and the major league polo (with the black collar); and maybe red and cream, at the very least. If I cannot get the black and major league polo through ump-attire, I think I am going to have to go with Honig's. Now, I am in desperate need of some under shirts. I have always used the compression shirts, but I think after wearing them for hours at a time, each day, they are irritating the skin under my arms, so I am wanting to go with the same material, but in loose fit. I have been looking at UnderArmour, but that is a bit steep. However, with UnderArmour, that is something you could wear everyday, and not only when umpiring. Now, I am an avid hunter, and I have a pair of UnderArmour camo gloves that are very thin but VERY warm, so I bought a pair of solid black gloves for when I referee local football games. However, the gloves of the UnderArmour X on them (the UA logo) and that is in white. Do you guys think that is tacky, since the gloves aren't 100% black?

Does anyone know when the new gear and equipment will start coming out? I've been ready for the 2010 season ever since the last out of my last game! I'm so anxious to get the new season underway, even though we are still a couple-few months away. I am looking to get some new pants and definitely a mask. What pants and mask would you guys recommend? I have asked about the pants before, and overwhelming response was the Honig's Poly-Wool, but I need heather gray. Suggestions for pants and masks?

I was coerced into getting a Nutty Buddy this past summer by some friends on the board. Definitely the best investment I have made. Quick shipping, and an even better product! Just be sure to wear the cup the way the tell you to, and you won't have any problems. Great investment! Good luck!

In Louisiana, our high school association (LHSAA) requires heather grey pants ONLY because of discrepancies in past about the variations in color of pants. So, nothing I can do about that, but my question for you is, will Honig's offer the poly/wool pants in heather grey or will they always only be available in charcoal grey? If they will only be available in charcoal, what other pants would you recommend?

Ok, I have one for you guys. I don't think I have told the story on here before, so here it goes: It was about mid-way through the High School season, and I was calling a game for a "less than mediocre" 2A school in which they were playing a pretty salty class B school. Well, the class C school was at bat with no outs and none on. I am PU in this game and have had a pretty good game up until this point. 3 balls, 2 strikes on the batter, and the pitcher throws a pitch right on the corner and about knee-high. IMO, a perfect pitch. I honestly do not know what happened. I knew it was a strike, and still know it was a strike, but just didn't ring the guy up. I say, "three..." in a low voice for some reason. Only person that heard me was the catcher (maybe), but I think he just knew it was a strike too, and stood up and threw to the 3rd baseman to throw it around the horn. I sent the guy on to first base because too much time has elapsed to just ring him up out of nowhere. Catcher is like, "What happened blue, I though that was strike 3?" I had to make up some BS so I told him, "No, it was a little low on him since he is a taller kid." For the rest of the game I am wondering why in the world I did not ring that kid up?! I have a traditional "punch out" style, so just saying "three..." is not my approach, so I do not know why it happened and still do not. Just one of those brain fart situations I suppose! I ended up calling about 5-6 games for that team that season, and never had any other problems. But WOW!!

Tough week on those picks huh? Things just don't go the way they should sometimes!

WOW! That's amazing! lmao

Nah, we very rarely get snow but you never know what the weather is going to be doing. You cannot judge the evening by the mornings, if you know what I mean. Sometimes it will be cold in the mornings, hot in the evenings, and other times it will be warm in the mornings and then really cold in the evenings. Maybe 80 degrees when you get up and then when you go to call a 6:00 game that evening, about the 3rd inning or so you could get pelted by some heavy hail/sleet because it's around 40 degrees lol You tend to keep a jacket handy at all times, especially during February, March, and part of April.

I'm from Louisiana, and if any of you have ever been to Louisiana, you would know it definitely has probably the weirdest weather around. On any given day in December, you can wake up to 30 degree weather, go to work/school, get finished, walk outside and it could be 85 degrees. With that said, our cold months don't really start until around February or so (our REALLY cold months - and that is only really about 10-20 degrees, which here, is COLD). I can remember several Christmas mornings when I would wake up and it be 80 degrees outside. Our baseball/softball seasons usually start around middle-end of February and some people can deal with the cold and some can't. We, like many of you have already said, kind of go with a "wear what you want to" type of understanding. However, we only run a 2-man system during regular season games, so this would go without saying that if the BU wears a jacket, it is reasonable that the PU doesn't have to and if they both decide to, then that is fine also. I personally like the fact that everyone should match and think that if majority vote for/against the jacket, it should go with the majority vote.

Never read it, but just curious. What is wrong with the FED Umpire's Manual?

Well, it is a bit tight but I feel as though that is way I need it because I don't want it sliding around under my shirt. Also, I am not sure which size I got. I think I got the 12" though...

I was calling my first HS softball game ever with an older guy that had been doing it for a while. Well, the first batter of the games draws a walk, and as the runner gets to first she keeps going in the same trot as she was going down the line. She goes about 5 feet or so, turns and comes back to the bag IMMEDIATELY as she stopped. Well, I didn't say anything and the guy came out from behind the plate and called "hesitation/look-back" rule on her (for those of you who know softball). I was so pissed because I was well-aware of the rule but in my opinion I didn't see anything wrong with what the girl done! Addressed him about it and he said that in his opinion she did violate the rule, but didn't know if I was aware of that rule when he called her on it. He apologized to me and that did make the situation better but I was still a little shaken up for a couple innings about it.

When I was 8 I first started playing baseball. I loved it more than anything and everytime I seen a ballgame on TV, I would get as many pillows as I could find and stuff them in my shirt and pants and would sit on the couch and mimic the PU's calls the entire game. When I was 13 I went to the local LL softball field, which was about 1/2 mile up the road from my house and asked if they may be looking for umpires. The president of the league told me to come back that night at 6 and that I could work both the games that night. Mostly, I started that year because I was interested in the money. I mean, come on, at 13, living with the parents, not a care in the world, an extra $150 a week is NICE! haha But then after I finally got used to the atmosphere, I began to love my new job. Every year I returned until I went off to college. Once in college, I started calling at a local LL around town and the following year got into HS ball. I didn't know anyone but after about 2-3 weeks of ball, my assignor called to schedule me to a game (in which the 2 teams were horrible, much like other games I had worked during the season), I told him that if he needed me to call better games I was capable of it and he said he would work with me a game and see how I done. Never looked back from there. If any of you are from around the South, you may have heard of Evangel Christian Academy out of Shreveport, LA. My first year calling HS I had the liberty of calling their 2nd round playoff game, and it was a dandy. 3 games later they went on to win the state championship. I love this game!!

I'm about 5'11" - 215 lbs

Where can I see the CP you are talking about owning that is only $89.00 mstaylor? Are you talking about the Charcoal WV? If not, show me a link to the one you are talking about please.

I was sitting here reading the last post by mstaylor and was thinking the same thing about the interference call. However, I don't think I would call interference in this situation because this is basically the same principle as breaking up a double play, right? As long as the kid slid straight into the bag and not to either side, it should be legal. However, I did not see the game so I do not know exactly how this went down...IMO

It may be the pec pads, OK. I just know it is the pads just to the left and right of the hard plates on the chest and just below the shoulder pads. But I can see how they could wear down a bit and become more maneuverable.

Ahh ok, I understand the should pads better now, and that makes sense to me. What CP do you use MS? Also, do you think it would be a good idea to cut the rib pads? I mean, I was a catcher in HS so I learned at an early age not to turn your body away from the protection and to center it up, so I don't have a problem with that. However, I just don't know if it is a good idea to cut up a $150 chest protector lol Just seems wrong to me.